It’s a lot more entertaining and skilful, than I thought it would be. What particularly surprised me was the place kicking and the line out work! I think only one kick was missed all match by both sides.

England are leading at half time, which improves the experience. Unless of course you’re Canadian! Or perhaps Scottish!

When I came here in 2010, Islington had two Post Offices on Upper Street; an old traditional one by St. Mary’s Church and a rather dodgy structure on the forecourt of Highbury and Islington station.

Both are now gone and a smart new one has opened in a double-fronted shop opposite the Town Hall.

Islington Has Got A Smart New Post Office

Peering through the window, it would appear to have all the latest automatic machines to send letters and parcels to Oblivion and everywhere else. According to Livy, Oblivion is defined as the Limia River in Spain.

I’ve been to Romeo’s Gluten Free Bakery a few times, but last time, which was a few months ago, it wasn’t a good experience. Compared to some of the bad meals I’ve had in the past, the food was very good, but the service to say the least left a lot too be desired.

As I passed today, I noticed they had a board outside and it would appear they are selling sandwiches.

Kings Cross station is becoming the model of an upmarket food and shopping destination for a railway station.

On Tuesday, the new littleWaitrose opens, to join a good Marks and Spencer, a pretty good pub and a Leon, which probably does the best gluten-free fast food in Europe. The new shop is handy for the trains and the Underground.

So when I arrive back in London after a trip from the North East or Scotland, I’ll certainly be able to pick up supper at either the new shop or M&S. Competition must improve both stores.

I posted some time ago about Network Rail’s policy on stations and it looks like we’re seeing the fruits of that revolution.

I first read about this idea in the Sunday Times, but I have found a detailed article on the bbc.com website. Here’s the lead paragraph.

Convoys of wireless-linked semi-autonomous vehicles could soon be hitting our roads, giving drivers a chance to put their feet up on the morning commute.

I don’t drive and I miss driving, like you miss the teenager next door, who thinks he’s the best drummer since Ringo, who has just left home.

The technology may well work, but it’s in the same category as driverless cars and unmanned level crossings. They’re all perfectly good and safe until something goes wrong. How many air accidents were never envisaged, when the aircraft was designed?

The thing though about this technology, is there is already a proven alternative in the UK. It’s called freight trains. The money would be better spent removing trucks from the roads, as far as possible. Obviously for long distances across countries like the US, Canada, Australia and Russia, it may well have a place.

This report on the BBC about the Islamic State threat to the UK worries me. Here’s the first bit.

Islamic State militants could grow strong enough to target people on the streets of Britain unless action is taken, David Cameron has warned.

The PM, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, said a “humanitarian response” to IS was not enough and a “firm security response” was needed.

It comes as Church leaders expressed concern that the UK had no “coherent” approach to tackling Islamic extremism.

By saying they are a threat so strongly, David Cameron is actually encouraging those disaffected young men, who want their five minutes of fame to do something that we’ll all regret.

We must find a way to channel this aggression that some young Muslim men feel into more worthwhile areas.

In the nineteen seventies and eighties, there was a lot of trouble in areas like Bristol, Brixton and Toxteth. I wonder how many of those, who might have thought about rioting are now pillars of society?

The solution will not be a simple one. But I can’t help feeling that better schools and transport infrastructure are two areas to start, as this gives us more of the better educated we need and allows them to travel to the jobs that are available.

We should also open up opportunities for Muslim women to become full members of society, whether the men like it or not. In fact you could argue that intelligent Muslim young women are one of the problems, as they are rejecting these idiot men and effectively giving them more reason to join the Islamic State.

Clamping down hard, as the Israelis have shown in Gaza, will just make matters worse.

About This Blog

What this blog will eventually be about I do not know.

But it will be about how I’m coping with the loss of my wife and son to cancer in recent years and how I manage with being a coeliac and recovering from a stroke. It will be about travel, sport, engineering, food, art, computers, large projects and London, that are some of the passions that fill my life.

And hopefully, it will get rid of the lonely times, from which I still suffer.